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The club's foundation date is unknown, but its earliest appearance in the FAI Cup was in 1936-37.[1][2] Evergreen finished as League runners-up in 1953 and 1959. In 1953 they also played in an all-Cork FAI Cup final against Cork Athletic, losing 2-1 in a replay after drawing the first game 2-2. During the 1956-57 season Evergreen’s Donal Leahy finished as joint top goalscorer in the league with 15 goals. In the following two seasons Leahy finished top goalscorer outright with 16 and 22 goals respectively. Irish international Tommy Moroney finished his playing career with Evergreen and, on October 4, 1953 in a World Cup qualifier against France, he won the last of his 12 caps while with the club. In 1959 the club changed its name to Cork Celtic.[3]

As Celtic in the 1960s they enjoyed a local rivalry with Cork Hibernians. In 1974 with a team that included Alfie Hale and Bobby Tambling, Celtic won their only League of Ireland title under manager and former player Paul O'Donovan. Tambling, a former Chelsea player and England international had initially moved to Ireland to work as a Jehovah's Witness missionary. He scored 7 league goals in his first season as he helped Celtic win the title.